


The Interview

by Kayleegee



Series: The Bodyguard Series [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Speculation, post-season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 10:15:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4387961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kayleegee/pseuds/Kayleegee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the final interview, and while this isn’t her dream job, McKenna needs a win.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Interview

The lobby of Palmer Technologies is a busy one on this Thursday morning. Investment bankers stroll through, nearly knocking into one another as they talk and text on the phone, talking loudly about the Tokyo market, using verbage like, “crushing it.” Other business men and women hold tightly to their coffees and Wall Street Journals calling out, “Hold the door!” There are different colored uniforms coming in and out, couriers carrying boxes and certified mail alike. McKenna laughs to herself as she watches these people bustle in and out, trying desperately to look important. 

McKenna sits near the security desk, trying to patiently wait while they get her her visitor’s badge to the 64th floor where she is interviewing with the head of security at Palmer Technologies. The position is Logistical Coordinator for Security, which McKenna can only describe as frustratingly boring, but she has no doubt she will excel at it. This is the final interview, and while this isn’t her dream job, McKenna needs a win.

It’s been a long, arduous process coming back from her shattered femur. Multiple surgeries, hours upon hours of physical therapy and more pain than McKenna had ever anticipated, but McKenna is as close to 100% as she can get, but unfortunately, she’s had trouble passing physical fitness tests, making a lot of her first choice jobs out of the realm of possibility. It’s frustrating, because McKenna is so close to the SCPD version of herself, but no one wants to take a chance on her out in the field. Her endurance still wavers, especially on rainy days when the pressure sometimes makes her leg throb, and stairs still aren’t her best friend. So, desk job it is. 

“Ms. Hall?” Doug, the security officer approaches her with a visitor’s badge. McKenna stands and accepts the badge, “Sorry this took so long, it seems there was a mixup in your meeting location.”

McKenna frowns, “I thought I was meeting with Mr. Walker on the 64th floor.”

Dough shakes his head, “No, seems they moved your meeting to the 70th floor, if you want to make your way up.” 

“Really?” McKenna feels her eyebrows shoot up, “Okay, Thanks.” McKenna makes her way to the elevators, confused as to why her interview’s been moved. The long elevator ride to the 70th floor allows McKenna to internally fret as to what is going on. She really needs this job. As much as McKenna loves being close to her sister, Coast City is now a crushing reminder of her recovery, and she’s eager for a new start. Starling City, while not always the safest place to live, still holds a special place in her heart, and she’s hoping to recapture the happiness she felt living here.

The 70th floor opens and McKenna steps out, expecting a bustling lobby, but instead is greeted with a young man looking expectantly at her. 

“McKenna Hall?” he queries. She nods and he sticks his hand out. “Gerry Conway. I’m Ms. Smoak’s executive assistant. If you’ll follow me.” Before she can properly comprehend this sentence, Gerry leads her through double glass doors and hooks a right. McKenna finds herself looking back down the other end of the hallway. “Ms. Smoak shares this floor with Mr. Steele, our company’s CFO, and their offices’ support staff,” Gerry jerks his head back down the direction McKenna just looked. 

“Doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of people on this floor,” McKenna finds herself noting. Probably not the most important observation to be made at the moment.

Gerry smiles, “Ms. Smoak’s personal workspace takes up a lot of space. She likes to spread out.” McKenna nods and Gerry opens another set of double glass doors that open to a waiting room of sorts, with what McKenna assumes is Gerry’s desk. There’s two large leather couches with a glass coffee table between them and McKenna is surprised as Gerry smoothly guides her past them and his desk and into what McKenna assumes is Felicity Smoak’s office. Gerry guides McKenna to one the couch that sits in front of the windows to sit, “Can I get you anything, Ms. Hall? Coffee? Tea? Water?” 

“No, I’m fine,” McKenna begins as she sits down, “Um, I’m sorry, I think there’s been a mixup, but I thought I was meeting with Mr. Walker? On the 64th floor?” 

“Trust me, you are in the right place. Ms. Smoak will be with you in just a few moments. Please let me know if I can get you anything.” Gerry says as he walks away from McKenna, and out to his desk. 

McKenna takes the few moments to look around the office. There are a lot of windows and glass, something that makes McKenna uneasy, and she finds herself feeling like she’s on display. The office overall is surprisingly small, McKenna thinks, for a CEO of a major corporation, and it’s oddly very warm and inviting. There are a few plants here and there, and there are a lot of personal touches, including photographs peppered around the room. McKenna doesn’t know most of the people, but on the side table next to the couch she’s sitting on is a picture of Felicity and Oliver Queen. McKenna had forgotten they were dating. She can’t tell where they are, but the angle is such that it’s obvious Oliver is the one taking the photo. They are outside, looking a bit windswept as they both smile up towards the camera,, but what strikes McKenna is how they both look so happy and relaxed, and she has a sinking feeling Oliver was never that happy or relaxed when they’d been dating. It’s then that McKenna realizes she’s about to meet her ex-boyfriend’s current girlfriend, who owns the company McKenna is trying to get a job at. Oh, boy.

A loud click makes McKenna’s head whip around to see Felicity Smoak entering through a heavily secure door near her desk. McKenna hastily stands up. 

“I am so sorry, I’m not usually late. I’m usually very punctual, but I got working with someone on something, and he is definitely not punctual,” Felicity says walking over to her desk, picking up a file, and making her way towards McKenna and shaking her hand, “Sit, sit!” She tells McKenna. Felicity is dressed in a pretty plum sheath dress, her hair pulled back and glasses on, “Did Gerry offer you anything to drink? Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee?” McKenna shakes her head no, and Felicity doesn’t seem to register McKenna’s confused look as she strides over to the glass door and opens it a moment, “Gerry, can you get me a latte? I swear to God it’ll only be my third this morning.” McKenna sees Gerry nods and goes off to fetch Felicity a latte. Felicity finally makes her way to the leather couch and plops down next to McKenna, and looks McKenna square in the eyes, “I bet you’re wondering why you’re here, huh?” 

McKenna smiles, and feels the vice in her chest ever so slightly loosen at Felicity’s kind smile, “I thought I was interviewing with Mr. Walker for the security logistics coordinator job.”

Felicity nods, “Mr. Walker was on the lookout for candidates for a different job.” She opens the file folder she has in her hands and leafs through, “B.A. in criminal justice and a flawless record as an SCPD police detective, and you recently completed your M.A. in Justice Studies, emphasis in Cybersecurity. A girl after my own heart,” Felicity laughs, “Not to mention your glowing recommendations. Captain Lance had nothing but great things to say.”

McKenna smiles a bit, “So, what job am I interviewing for, exactly?” 

Felicity closes the file folder and tosses it on the coffee table in front of them, “My personal bodyguard,” she says matter of factly, “and this isn’t an interview, I’m offering you the job.” 

McKenna is relieved when Gerry comes through the doors, offering Felicity her latte and a moment for McKenna to internally freak out a bit. “Thanks, Gerry,” Felicity says and he nods and leaves as quickly as he came. Felicity takes a sip and sighs happily, “I totally lied to Gerry. This is my fourth latte today, and it is so worth the headache I’m going to get later.” 

“You’re offering me a job? On the spot?” McKenna feels her brain buzzing with a thousand thoughts and questions.

Felicity nods and smiles warmly, “I’ve looked into you, I’ve talked to people who know you, and I can tell you will not be happy with a desk job.”

“So you’re offering me a job as your personal bodyguard?” McKenna just can’t seem to wrap her head around the offer, “I’ve never been a personal bodyguard.”

Felicity shrugs, “I have no doubt in your ability to assess any situation and ensure my safety.”

McKenna looks down at her leg, the one that cost her the best job she’d ever had, “You know I have yet to pass any physical fitness test for any of the field jobs I’ve applied for.” 

“You were really close to passing Blackhawk’s test,” Felicity points out, and off of McKenna’s eyebrows adds, “I may or may not have hacked into their system to get the results. I do that sometimes.” Felicity takes another sip of her latte, like she’s trying to find a way to stop talking. 

“Ms. Smoak, I’m really flattered by the offer, but I just don’t know…” McKenna starts. 

Felicity holds a hand up to stop McKenna, “First, call me Felicity. We’re the same age, so calling me by my last name sounds...weird.” McKenna actually chuckles at that but Felicity continues, “Second, you will be fabulous at this job. You’ll be my primary bodyguard and coordinate my security detail, among other responsibilities including coordinating with Walter Steele’s office to coordinate his protection, because, quite frankly I don’t trust Frank, his primary bodyman. He’s a nice enough guy, if you can ignore the ridiculous goatee, but he’s not from Starling, he doesn’t understand Starling’s...quirks.”

McKenna finds herself outwardly laughing at Felicity’s description of both Frank and Starling City, “Starling City really hasn’t gotten any better, huh?” 

Felicity shakes her head, “Yeah, I’m not sure why we live here.” 

“And you aren’t at all concerned about my physical limitations?” McKenna asks, feelings of insecurity bubbling up to the surface. 

“Like I said, you very nearly passed Blackhawk’s fitness test. And, from what I can tell, you aren’t going to stop striving for 100% just because some doctors tell you it’s not possible,” Felicity says, looking at McKenna with an understanding of what it’s like to want to be the best. Of course Felicity would understand that need, being one of the most powerful women in Starling City. McKenna is on the cusp of saying yes, but she has to make sure Felicity understands one thing.

“Felicity, if I’m going to do this, I need you to allow me to protect you to the best of my ability,” McKenna begins, levelling with Felicity, “that means you have to be open and honest with me. I can’t protect you if you won’t let me, and I will not let you get yourself killed, or worse, me killed.” 

Felicity swallows before saying very slowly and deliberately, “The responsibility you feel in protecting me? I can guarantee you I completely understand it, and I will do everything in my power to make your job easier.” McKenna knows Felicity is completely and utterly serious. 

“Then, yes, I will take the job,” McKenna says and Felicity looks ecstatic.

“Excellent! You’ll start next Monday, and you’ll have to get with HR to fill out the mountains of paperwork they require. Oh! And you’ll have your own office, just around the corner, and Gerry can get pretty fascist about coffee consumption, but that’s when you go to Kerry, the office manager on this floor, she will hook you up.” Felicity laughs as she leans back and slips off her heels. McKenna finds herself nodding along as Felicity continues to talk, dropping tidbits about her schedule and other responsibilities McKenna will have. They talk for another 20 minutes before Gerry pops his head in to tell Felicity that Walter is on his way to her office. 

McKenna stands up and her eyes gloss over the picture of Oliver and Felicity and she feels as though she has to say something, “Um, I feel like I need to ask, but is Oliver okay with this? Because, you know we used to date?” She cringe a bit, feeling like she’s in middle school. 

Felicity smiles, “All your qualifications were amazing, your recommendations were fantastic. If Oliver has a problem with it, well, then that’s too damn bad.” McKenna’s eyes widen a bit by Felicity’s comment, and Felicity laughs, “Actually, Oliver really thought it was a great idea, and he takes my safety very seriously.” Her smile fades a bit, “I’m not kidding about that. He’s going to try and micromanage, but I feel like we can tag team him and shut him down.”

McKenna feels both relieved and overwhelmed by both Felicity’s confidence and it seems, Oliver’s. She and Felicity shake hands one more time, and Gerry ushers McKenna out with directions to Human Resources. It’s not until McKenna is in the elevator alone headed down to the 50th floor that it hits her that she’s gainfully employed. As a bodyguard. A CEO’s personal bodyguard. Field work, shattered femur be damned. McKenna smiles. She’s feeling pretty badass right now.


End file.
